Sen. Joe Pennacchio

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits New Jersey colleges and universities, as well as licensed proprietary schools, from withholding student transcripts due to unpaid balances. It directly affects current and former students who owe money to institutions, preventing schools from refusing transcripts, charging extra fees for them, or using transcripts as a debt collection tool. Key provisions require institutions to provide transcripts within 10 business days or face $500 daily penalties for each day of noncompliance. The law specifically allows institutions to charge standard fees for transcript processing but bans using debt collection tactics through transcript access.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey's S 1296 amends the state's "Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act" to explicitly include fusion energy as a qualifying Class I renewable energy source. This change directly affects electric utilities and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, as it allows fusion power generation to count toward renewable energy requirements under existing law. The bill updates the legal definition of "Class I renewable energies" without altering other provisions or creating new programs. It does not change current incentives but ensures fusion projects can be recognized under the state's renewable energy framework. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.

Maddy summaryS 1346 requires New Jersey's Division of Purchase and Property to issue an annual report tracking public contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned businesses. The report must include data on application rates, number of contracts awarded, total contract value, and the percentage of contracts going to these businesses compared to all small businesses. It also directs the Division of Revenue to manage and develop the SAVI database, which tracks businesses certified as minority-owned, women-owned, or small businesses to help identify eligible vendors for state programs like the Small Business Set Aside program. The bill mandates these requirements to improve transparency in state contracting and support matching buyers with qualified vendors.

Maddy summaryS 1348 would have established a Farmland Assessment Review Commission within New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to annually review the state's farmland assessment program. The commission would have evaluated program eligibility (affecting over 37,000 farmland properties), benefits distribution, inspection requirements, and potential fee structures for landowners. It aimed to ensure fair, uniform statewide application and address issues like benefit allocation based on farm sales data. This bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was superseded by enacted legislation (P.L.2025, c.274).

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1188) amends New Jersey's "Extended Employment Act" to modernize support for people with significant disabilities. It revises key definitions - such as replacing "sheltered workshop" with "extended employment" to describe nonprofit-run programs providing work opportunities for individuals with disabilities who cannot compete in the open labor market. The bill updates funding mechanisms to tie annual increases to the CPI-W index (not fixed amounts) and requires contracted providers to submit detailed annual reports on participant outcomes. It directly affects nonprofit service providers administering these programs and people with significant disabilities who qualify for extended employment services. The changes aim to better align program structure with current vocational rehabilitation standards.

Maddy summaryS 1301, the "Transparency in Government Act," requires the State Treasurer to create a searchable public website displaying detailed state government financial data, including annual expenditures (like salaries, vendor payments, and bond debt), revenues (such as taxes and grants), and bond debt information. It also mandates that public entities receiving state funds establish similar websites with comparable data. The website must include all required data for fiscal year 2013 and subsequent years, updated within 45 days after each fiscal year ends, and remain publicly accessible without charge. This bill aims to increase transparency by making government spending and revenue information readily available to the public.

Maddy summaryS 1306, the "Children's Vaccination Bill of Rights," establishes new protections for parents and children in New Jersey regarding vaccination decisions. It requires parents to receive detailed information about vaccine ingredients and risks before consent (provision e), gives parents final authority over vaccination choices based on independent scientific evidence (provision f), and holds the state liable for injuries caused by mandated vaccines (provision g). The bill also mandates equal application of vaccination policies regardless of race or religion (provision b), requires independent safety studies (provision d), and ensures religious liberty protections are considered. This bill directly affects all parents and children subject to New Jersey's vaccination requirements for schools or healthcare.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SR 25) urges New Jersey to fully fund state reimbursements for school districts' extraordinary special education costs, as required by the 2008 School Funding Reform Act (SFRA). It specifically addresses the current shortfall where districts were eligible for $585.4 million in reimbursements for 2022-2023 but received only $420 million (71.7% of entitlement), affecting districts serving students with disabilities whose costs exceed $40,000 (public schools) or $55,000 (private schools). The resolution emphasizes that full funding is needed to help districts cover high costs for vulnerable students and stabilize budgets without shifting burdens to local taxpayers. It does not create new law but calls on the state to meet its existing legal obligation under the SFRA.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies in New Jersey to allow any licensed clinical laboratory to join their provider network for covered lab services under the same terms and conditions offered to other participating labs. It directly affects licensed clinical laboratories that provide services covered by health insurance plans. The key provision prohibits insurers from denying participation based on the lab's specific licensing or network status, ensuring equal access for qualified providers. The Commissioner of Banking and Insurance will develop implementing rules to enforce this requirement.

Maddy summaryS 2541 allocates $4.32 billion from New Jersey's Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to help all 565 municipalities and 21 counties retire existing local debt or fund capital projects (like water systems, parks, or public safety facilities) without issuing new bonds. It directs the Department of Treasury to distribute $3 billion to municipalities equally per resident and $1.32 billion to counties equally per resident, with all funds to be distributed within 30 days of enactment. The bill adds $2.35 billion to the fund from the General Fund to support this allocation. This directly affects every local government in New Jersey by providing immediate, equitable funding for debt reduction and infrastructure.